Day 12: Host - A Suprisingly Intense Zoom Horror.
I’ll be honest, this movie wasn’t even on my radar. I literally stumbled on Host one night while scrolling for something to watch and knowing my taste for horror that messes with your head more than your stomach, I figured, “hear what, I’ll give it a shot.” And let me tell you, I surely wasn’t disappointed.
The movie kicks off with a group of friends in lockdown, post-pandemic, connecting over a Zoom call. Right away, it feels a little too familiar, the awkward lags, the overlapping chatter, the digital squares of people just trying to stay connected. It’s the perfect setup because before you even realize it, the film starts to blur the line between what’s happening on their screens and what could be happening on yours.
The friends decide to spice things up by inviting a medium to host an online séance. It starts off light, with a few jokes and nervous laughs, the kind of energy you’d expect from friends trying to make the best out of boredom. But as the medium calmly sets the tone, she asks everyone to take things seriously, and that’s the last warning any of them, or we, get. What follows is a slow unraveling of terror that feels way too real.
What Host nails is its authenticity. The film doesn’t rely on fancy effects, a booming soundtrack, or drawn-out exposition. Instead, it traps you in that tiny Zoom frame, forcing your eyes to dart around every corner of the screen, wondering if you just saw something move in the background. There are no transitions, no flashy cuts, no escape,just tension that builds and builds until you’re gripping your seat, half afraid to blink in case you miss something.
Each friend’s fate plays out like a chilling reminder that curiosity and the supernatural don’t mix. But what makes it hit harder is how relatable it all feels. We’ve all been on those calls, talking over each other, laughing to fill the silence, pretending everything’s fine. Host takes that everyday normality and twists it into something horrifyingly claustrophobic.
From a technical standpoint, the filmmakers deserve serious credit. The cinematography is impressively creative for a movie that never leaves a computer screen. Every glitch, lag, and frozen frame is used to full advantage, building atmosphere instead of breaking it. It’s proof that you don’t need a massive budget to deliver genuine fear; you just need timing, realism, and the courage to let silence do the heavy lifting.
Host is one of those rare horror films that understands the power of simplicity. It doesn’t try too hard; it doesn’t need to. The scares come naturally, creeping in through the edges of the frame and leaving you questioning what’s real long after the credits roll. If you’re a horror fan who loves that slow burn of dread mixed with the thrill of something new, this one deserves a spot on your watchlist.
It’s short, sharp, and terrifyingly effective,the kind of movie that makes you want to double-check your webcam before bed.